Sweat band



Nov. 26, 1940.

w. F. STERNE SWEAT BAND Filed Aug. 17, 1958 emitted Nov. 26, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SWEAT BAND Willard F. Sterne, Bufialo,

N. Y., assignor to American Allsafe Company, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,321

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sweat bands or pads designed for use by workers,

athletes, sportsmen and others for absorbing head perspiration. It has for one of its objects to provide a sweat band of this character whose absorbing pad is made of a sponge-like cellular body composed of regenerated cellulose and fibrous material with voids formed or disposed throughout the pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sweat band whose absorbing pad or elementis characterized by having a highly absorptive and capillary action when moist or wet to thereby afford increased efficiency of sweat absorption when worn by the wearer, and which at the same time is of a soft and smooth texture to afford comfort to the wearer. v

A further object is to provide a sanitary sweat band made of a cellulose, sponge-like material 20 which may be sterilized by boiling without disintegration.

This invention is a continuation in part of my United States application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 164,347, filed September 17, 1937,

25 patented May 30, 1939, Patent No. 2,160,567.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of, parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out the appended claims. 1 30 In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved sweat band. Figure 2 is a horizontal section thereof taken in the plane of line 2-2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary front view of the ab 35 sorbing pad showing the band-receiving opening. Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the invention, partly in section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

40 In the embodiment of the invention shown inthe drawing, the same consists of an absorbent pad or member In of substantially rectangular formto engage the forehead of the wearer and an elastic attaching band H applied to the pad for 45 fitting about or encircling the wearer's head to t firmly and snugly hold the pad in absorbing contact with the forehead. The attaching band is preferably endless and being elastic readily adapts itself to different head sizes without re- 50 sorting to uncomfortable fastening clasps, buckles and the like, and it furthermore permits of the ready application and removal of the pad to and from the head. The pad 10 is provided adjacent its opposite ends and substantially medially 55 thereof with transverse slits or openings l2 with which the attaching band II is engageable in thread-like fashion and in the manner shown in Figures 1 and-2, whereby a portion of the band overlies and extends over the front or outer face and substantially fromend to end of the 'ab- 5 sorbent pad, and yet is free to move lengthwise relative thereto to thereby enable the band to expand and contract independently of the pad, as when applying the device to and removing it from the head of the wearer, and,permitting the 10 pad toexpand and contract independently of the band, as during sweat absorption and evapora: tion, with the result that no strain or pressure is transmitted from the band to'the pad or from the pad to the band. The engagement of the band with the pad-openings I2 effectually retains the pad and the band against relative transverse displacement.

If desired, the pad openings l2 may be shaped as indicated in Figure 3, wherein one end of each opening terminates in an outwardly-extending branch I3 to enable the endless attaching band I I to be initially engaged with the openings, after which the end-edges of the pad may be reinforced by binding strips M which extend'over or span the opening-branches iii to close the same. These strips may be stitched or otherwise secured to the ends of the pad.

In the modified form of sweat band shown in Figure 4, the band I5 is in the form of elastic webbing or like material which can be made in different colors and designs to render the device more sightly and attractive in appearance, and in this form of the device the absorbent pad I6 is removably mounted on the inner face of the band and retained in place by loops IT or the like,

enabling the band and pad to expand and contract independently of each other and yet preventing relative transverse displacement of such parts.

The absorbent pad II] is preferably made of a sponge-like cellular body composedof a network of fibrous material bonded together by regenerated cellulose and having voids formed in and throughout the mass, this material being known as artificial or rcellulose sponge. This particular material, while hard or firm and rough when dry, is exceedingly soft and smooth when moist or wet and also under such conditions 'has a very high absorptive capillary action, giving maximum efiiciency of sweat absorption when worn by the wearer. Furthermore, when applied moist or wet for obtaining these advantages in wearing comfort and absorptive properties, the wearer obtains a desirable cooling effect from the pad, this cool- 5 ing effect. resulting from the rapid evaporation of the moisture absorbed by thepad. This material from which the'pad is made is likewise capable of being sterilized by boiling without disintegration, thus'enablingthe pad to be readily cleaned'arid sanitized when desired. Also, because of its structural make-up and sanitary qualities, no envelope orv cover is necessary, the pad resting im- -mediately in contactwith the wearers forehead.

Iclaimas mylnv entionz s 1-. A sweat-absorbing pad for attachment to the head of a wearer made of a fibrous material bonded with regenerated cellulose'and which is characterized by having'a substantially firm and rough texture when dry and by having a soft and smooth texture and high absorptive property when wet or. moist.

2.;A' device 'of the character described, comprising a sweat-absorbing pad adapted for en-- the forehead of a wearer made of a cellular, sponge-like material and having transverse openings adjacent its opposite ends for receiving an attaching band in threaded engagement therewith, each of said openings having a longitudinal branch portion extending therefrom to the corresponding edge of the pad.

4. A sweat-absorbing pad for attachment to the head of a wearer, comprising a sponge-like body composed of fibrous material bonded with 10 v regenerated cellulose and having innterconnecting voids formed throughout its mass.

5. A sweat absorbing pad for attachment to the 'head of a wearer, comprising a substantially rectangular cellulose sponge bodycomposed of fibrous material bonded with regenerated cellulose and having interconnecting voids formed throughout its mass, said body being applied to the head in a moistcondition' to soften and expand it for maximum absorption and evaporation.

6. A two-part, sweat absorbing device for attachment to the head of a wearer, comprising a substantially rectangular body adapted to overlie the forehead and made wholly of a pad of cellue lose sponge, sensitive when moistened before application, to quick absorption and rapid evaporation and resultant cooling effects, and a headengaging band applied to said pad for retaining it in place against the forehead.

WILLARD F. STERNE. 

